Last Saturday as I was valiantly attempting to finish a
wedding/costume dress for my Meggles’ Halloween wedding a nor easter decided to
reign terror down upon Connecticut.
Since I had spent more hours fighting with my sewing machine than
actually sewing up to that point imagine my frustration when the power went out
and I was unable to even hand stitch anything. This is what I get for
volunteering myself for so much, but Meggles’ is my long lost prodigal sister
and she and the short man started dating when she lived with us over 8 years
ago in New Jersey. I was there standing with her in my bathroom when she read
the positive pregnancy test that heralded the coming of the purple pixie. Being
back in one another’s lives is a really joyful gift and while I admittedly went
overboard, I was not under any duress when I jumped.
I only discovered that they wanted to get married on Halloween
about a month ago which was about the time that they decided to finally do it.
Eight years and 2 more kids later they finally agreed that it was about time. I
wrote the ceremony, made the headpieces, boutonnieres, corsages, wedding
favors, and cannibalized my wedding dress to make a black and blue renaissance
themed dress. When I say that I was sewing up to the last second, well that’s
not entirely true… actually I was doing her hair up until the last second.
It was amazing and totally worth it despite all the stress
and they insisted that we stay with them until our power came back on at home.
Living with 2 extra adults and 3 more kids under the age of 8 has been an
experience. Usually I wouldn’t volunteer to put myself in any kind of position
like this because I would never put anyone else in the position to volunteer
themselves to have us unless they were biologically obligated. The Silent
Prince is able to destroy any home within seconds. The short man walked into
the bedroom we’ve been staying in a few
hours ago, took one look at the wreckage and declared, “I love it!” Let me be
clear that when I say wreckage I am not even coming close to accurately
describing the state of the bear cubs’ room. And the Prince has discovered how
to climb up into the top bunk.
It really sucks not being able to be in my own home,
surrounded by all the things that make me comfortable and allow me to do what I
need to do, but this has been truly wonderful. I’ve had a boost of energy that
I don’t typically have – I’ve even helped with dinner 2 nights in a row – even
after a full day of stuff! It’s not exactly been a vacation, but it’s not easy
to describe it in human terms any other way. I’ve been displaced before; I’ve
been unable to go home for all sorts of reasons in the past. It’s rare that
I’ve been in this kind of position and still felt “at home”, but that’s what
it’s been.
And the best part is feeling like it’s also been true for
the people whose home it actually is. Hubby went home for the night so that he
could get to work tomorrow. A neighbor texted me to tell me that they were
headed home because the power was restored about the same time hubby got a call
from another neighbor that all our lights were on. When I shared the news with
meggles and the short man there was a combined reaction of that’s awesome and
but we don’t want you to leave. Hubby will return tomorrow and we’ll stay one
more night then head home sometime on Friday. It’s a relief that we can return
to our sense of normal and that we will be doing so with minimal stress because
we’ve been here.
I’ve never believed that God causes tragedy in anyone’s life
to “teach them a lesson”, but I do believe that God takes the tragedy in life
and repaints the picture for us if we are willing to wait for the brush
strokes. My new picture has been of a second home coming out of a nor’easter.
God's peace y'all
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